Game 24: Southeast
4 vs. Southwest
3

Southeast Rallies to Advance Into U.S. Championship Game

Author: George Thompson

Source: South Williamsport, Pa.

Date/Time: Wednesday, August 22, 8:00pm ET

In Wednesday's nightcap of the Little League World Series, Southeast champs
Goodlettsville, Tenn., Little League punched their ticket to the United States
championship game by beating Southwest champs San Antonio, Texas, Little League,
4-3, at Lamade Stadium.

Trailing 3-2 going into the top of the sixth inning, it was now or never for the
Southeast champs, and they delivered. With Jayson Brown on first and Jake Rucker
on second, the catcher for the Southwest tried throwing out Brown on first, but
threw it behind the first baseman, allowing Rucker to score on the play and
Brown to advance to third, tying the game 3-3.

The Southwest pitcher would walk the very next batter, putting runners on first
and third with only one out. Cole Carter then put the Southeast ahead for good
on the very next pitch, hitting a RBI single to center field.

The entire game was a back and forth affair. The Southwest took the early lead
in the bottom of the first inning, scoring one unearned run. However, in the top
of the third, the Southwest retook the lead by scoring two runs in the inning
off back-to-back home runs by Brown and Brock Myers, giving them a one run lead.

The Southwest wasn’t going to go down without a fight though, scoring two runs
of their own in the bottom of the fifth, before they would relinquish the lead
in the next inning. The Southwest had one final chance in the bottom of the
sixth, but failed to get any offense going of off the Southeast’s new pitcher
Luke Brown.

“I was pretty nervous,” Brown said. “It was a pretty tough position.”

Even though they lost, the Southwest’s team pursuit of a Little League World
Series crown isn’t over. They will play Thursday against the West champions from
Petaluma, Calif., Little League and the chance for a rematch against the
Southeast in the United States Championship game on Saturday.